A Quick Hands-On With The New iPad Mini

The new iPad Mini, about the size of your hand. (Photo: Caleb Garling)

Apple unveiled the new iPad Mini in San Jose’s classy California Theater Tuesday and after the ceremony I got a quick hands-on with the new gadget.

Phil Schiller, Apple’s vice president of international marketing, claimed during the presentation that this new release isn’t just a “shrunken down iPad.” Yet, from my quick time with the product, I’d have to say it is.

The iPad was a two-handed device. For some, the iPad Mini will be a one-handed device. And for business-folk and stay-at-home mom’s alike, that frees up an extra hand to write on a whiteboard or feed a child. The body of the new model shrinks from 9.5 inches long to 7.87 inches. Diagonally, the new screen is 7.9 inches across from 9.7 inches.

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iPad Mini side by side with the regular-sized iPad (Photo: Caleb Garling)

Schiller made a lot of claims how the iPad mini is better than Google’s Nexus 7, and just singling out that tablet in particular raised eyebrows. Google, along with Samsung and Microsoft, have come on strong lately in the tablet market and it was clear Apple had taken note of the search giant’s offering. He argued that the new iPad’s screen is 35 percent bigger than the Nexus 7 (which has a 7-inch diagonal) and after holding the new iPad, I can verify that the device and screen are bigger. I wanted to do a side-by-side with my Nexus 7 tablet but the diligent Apple employees watching our every move during the demos headed me off at the pass.

But the size is really the only difference — and again, not dismissing the importance. Otherwise, and according to Apple’s official specs, this is a shrunken iPad, despite Schiller’s claims. It runs on an A5 dual core processor and has 1024X768 screen resolution like the iPad 2; it has 1.2 megapixel photos and 1080p HD video recording like the new iPad with retina display.

The swiping, organization of apps and feel are all the same, otherwise.

From a usage standpoint, I can only really compare with my Nexus 7, which runs on the Android operating system. I use it easily with one hand while doing everything from cooking to watching football, and very much endorse the device. Though the Mini iPad is a bit bigger, folks should enjoy this more manageable tablet around the house or at work.